Climbing toy



Nov. 6, 1962 v, w A 3,061,972

I CLIMBING Toy Filed May 25. 1959 mmvrox. 4 L V00RHIS F. WIGAL FIG. 5

ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 6, 1962 v. F. WIGAL 3,061,972

CLIMBING TOY Filed May 25. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. VOORHIS F.WIGAL BY & I

ATTORNEY 3,051,972 CLIMBING TOY Voorhis F. Wigal, 909 Highland Ave.,Jackson, Tenn. Filed May 25, 1959, Ser. No. 815,563 6 Claims. (Cl.46206) This invention relates to toys and in particular relates to animproved type of climbing toy that is designed to automatically advanceover a smooth surface for the purpose of providing entertainment to theuser.

In US. Patent 2,618,889, issued November 25, 1952, to Voorhis F. Wigal,a toy having these general characteristics was provided. The climbingtoy of this patent featured a sprocket wheel having a plurality ofcircumferentially arranged suction cups that progressively engaged thesmooth surface so that upon rotation of the sprocket relatively of thetoy body, the cups would successively engage and release toprogressively advance the toy across the surface involved.

While the climbing toy of the above described patent has met with greatcommercial success, it has been found that the same is possessed ofcertain inherent disadvantages.

First, and from the standpoint of winding the toy for use, it wasnecessary in the prior patent to effectuate the winding up of thesprocket wheel by hand rotation. This was time consuming and oftendifficult for small children to accomplish because of the fact that thesuction cups had to be moved relatively of the body and retained inwound condition during placement on the surface.

In addition to being difficult, it frequently happened that the userwould wind the sprocket wheel in the wrong direction, with the resultthat the toy would not properly operate.

As a second disadvantage of the climbing toy shown in the abovedescribed patent, it is to be noted that the use of the same is limitedto use on continuous flat surfaces, with the result that if the forwardpart of the toy struck an object, such as a wall surface, that was atright angles to the original surface, the suction cups would bedisengaged and the toy would cease to function.

It has been discovered that the above described disadvantages can beobviated by thefollowing improvements.

First, if a spring loaded cord rewind structure is employed to wind thesprocket wheel againstthe force of the activating spring, it has 'ceen'found that the toy can be easily and quickly readied for use, even bysmall children, with the possibility of winding in the wrongdirectionbeing completely eliminated. q I Secondly, it has beenfurther'discovered that if the sprocket wheel bearing the suction cup ismoved forwardly of the body and the front portion of the body is cutaway so as to permit the rotating suction cups to reach out beyond thesame, that the climbing toy device will actually be enabled to traverseright angle surfaces without any interruption whatsoever.

Production of an improved climbing toy having the above improvementsaccordingly becomes the principal object of this invention, with otherobjects of the invention becoming more apparent upon a reading of thefollowing brief specification, considered and interpreted in the lightof the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the improve climbing toy.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the lines 33 of FIGURE 2. I

7 FIGURE 4 is avertical section taken on the lines 4+4 of FIGURE 3.

1, 3,061,972 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 "ice FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectiontaken on the lines 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 9 are vertical sectional views showing the positionof the suction cups during operation of the device.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1 thereof, theimproved climbing toy, general ly designated by the numeral 10, is shownprovided with an advancing mechanism 11 that includes a plurality ofsuction cups 12, 12 mounted on the peripheral edges of 'a sprocket wheel13, with sprocket wheel 13 being wound under tension by use of cordwinding means 14 so as to permit the car body 15 to continuously advanceacross surfaces '16 and 17 that are shown disposed at right angles toeach other.

Considering first the structure of the car body 15, it is to beunderstood that the same is preferably made of mating molded halves 20and 21 that are secured together, as at 22, in known manner to define asimulated hollow car body having molded front wheels 23 and molded integral rearwheels 23a with other conventional portions of the car bodybeing similarly simulated in the body, as shown in FIGURE 1.1 H IReferring to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that the body half 21 is providedwith concentric tubular-projections 24 and 25, while the body half 20has a tubular projection 26 that is concentrically opposed to theprojection 24 So as to to support the opposed axial ends of sprocket113, as will hereinafter be described. Additionally, a pin 27 projectsinwardly from the inner face of the body half 20 for the purpose ofreceiving one end of a winding spring 28 as is best shown in FIGURE 2 ofthe drawings.

To the end of supporting and guiding the cord me'ch anism 14, the bodyhalf 21 is further provided witha bracket 29 that has an eyelet 30through which cord 31 may be passed, with a similar eyelet 32beingprovided in .the rearmost portion 33 of the body section 21foradditional guiding support (see FIGURE 3). A guide rail 34 ofarchedconfiguration (FIGURES) also projects from the body portion 21 tocenter cord 31 on sprocket 13 at all times, while bumper 57 and ring 56are also pro vided on cord 31 for known purposes.

For the purpose of permitting clearance of the suction cups as the samemove relatively of the body 15, the front portion of the body 15 isshown preferably cutaway, as at 35, to a width sufficient to allow thesuction cups 12, 12 to pass therebetween. Also, it is, of course, to beunderstood that similar undercuts 36 and 37 are provided on theundersurfaces of the formed body 15, with rib'portions 37a, 37a beingprovided on the respective body halves for the purpose of providingrigidity to the body 15, while permitting clearance of the suctionwheels during their movement relatively thereof. In this manner, thesuction cups, during rotation will project beyond and below the frontportion of body 15.

. The sprocket wheel assembly 13 is best shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5through 9 of the drawings and, accordingly, it will be noted that thesame includes a central shaft 40 having opposed axial ends 40a and 40bthat are preferably of reduced diameter to permit journaling in theopposed tubular projections 24 and 26, respectively, with this conditionbeing best shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

Spaced axially inwardly from the axial end 40a of shaft 40 is a radiallyextending flange 41 that has an axially projecting tubular housing42.upon which the cord 31 may be' wound, as shown in FIGURE 2 of thedraw ings. In this regard, it .is important to note that the cylindricalhousing 42 serves as a drum for the cord 31 and, accordingly, for thepurpose of preventing fouling of the cord winding mechanism 14, theexternal diameter of this drum issh'own'as being somewhatless than theinternal diameter of the tubular member 25, with this diameterdifference just described being preferably less than the thickness ofthe cord 31 so as to prevent entry of the cord 31 between the drum 42and cylindrical member 25. Further in this regard, the drum 42 is shownpreferably located at a radial distance from the outer periphery of acircular course of axially extending arms 44, 44 that are secured toflange 41 and, in this manner, the ends of said arms define shoulders44a, 44a that serve to retain the cord in place on drum 42 at all times.(See FIG. 2.)

In addition to the aforementioned structure, the sprocket 13 is furthercharacterized by the fact that the projecting ends of each arm 44, 44are connected to a sprocket wheel 45 that has a series of fingers 46, 46projecting therefrom, with these fingers each supporting a suction cup12, as will now be described.

In this regard, the construction of a typical suction cup and themounting thereof is shown best in FIG- URE 4 where each cup isillustrated as including a base 50 having a bell-shaped body section 51that terminates in a peripheral edge 51a, with the opposed face of base50 having a projecting shank 52 that is provided with a reduced diameterportion 53 that may be positioned in an appropriately contoured opening54 that is provided in the ends of the fingers 46. In this manner, eachcup is flexibly attached to a finger 46 so that the sprocket may moveduring engagement of the cup.

It is also preferred that the surfaces of each cup 12 be roughened orprovided with other air escape means so as to effectuate a holding orgripping of the surface by the same for a relatively short butsubstantially predetermined length of time. In this fashion, theengagement of one cup can be timed to release of the preceeding cup andvice versa, so that rapid advance of the toy is possible.

To the end of permitting the sprocket mechanism 13 to be wound undertension relatively to the body 15, the opposed ends 28a and 28b ofspring 28 are shown secured around pin 27 and a selected arm 44,respectively. Further and for the purpose of providing animation duringuse a head figure is pivoted as by pin 61, to appropriate opposedjournals 62, 62 that are provided on the body section 20 and 21.

In use or operation of the improved climbing toy, it will first beassumed that the component parts have been assembled as indicated in thedrawings, with the suction cups having been assembled on the sprocketwheel and with the cord and spring means being connected between thebody and the sprocket wheel.

In this condition, it is merely necessary that the user exert a pull onthe ring 56, which will cause cord 31 to rotate the entire sprocketassembly 13 relatively of the body 15 against the force of spring 28,which will then become under tension.

At this point, the front portion of the body 15 may be positionedadjacent the surface 16 as shown in FIG- URE 6 of the drawings, whereinsuction cup 12a has just been snapped into position. When suction cup12a has been engaged, it is believed apparent that the tension of woundspring 28 will then advance suction cup 12c towards surface 16 as shownin FIGURE 7, with suction cup 120 engaging surface 16 prior to releaseof suction cup 12a, as shown in FIGURE 8. When the condition of FIGURE 8is reached, the advancing suction cup 12d will have reached outforwardly of the body 15 and will have engaged against the wall surface17. It follows that continued rotation of sprocket wheel 13 willultimately cause cup 12e to engage surface 17, followed by engagement ofcup 12b, as shown in FIG- URE 9.

Engagement of cup 1217 is then sequentially substantially followed byengagement and release of cups 12c, 12d and 12e, respectively.

In all instances, it will be noted that the rear portion 33 of the body15 serves as a stop to prevent rotation of the body 15 around the axisof the sprocket assembly 13. This is true because in FIGURES l, 3 and 6through 9, the sprocket wheel 13 will be rotating counter clockwise,with the result that there would be a tendency for body 15 to rotateclock-wise were it not for the engagement of rear wheels 24 with surface16 or 17 as the case may be.

It will be seen from the foregoing that there has been provided a newand improved type of climbing toy that is characterized by the presenceof an automatic winding mechanism that precludes fouling, simultaneouslysimplifies winding and also it has been shown how the improved toy isfurther characterized by the fact that the same can be continuouslyoperated in an uninterrupted path from one plane into another plane thatis disposed at an acute angle therewith.

While a full and complete disclosure of the invention has been set forthin accordance with the dictates of the patent statutes, it is notintended that the invention be so limited.

Thus, while the invention is illustrated in connection with a simulatedautomobile, it is to be understood that the shape or design is notintended to be so limited, with the only requirement of shape being thepresence of a rearwardly disposed portion that can prevent rotation ofthe body around the axis of the sprocket wheel during the time that thespring drive is under tension. Similarly, while the inventionconveniently lends itself to being manufactured of plastic, it is to beunderstood that the same is not limited to being made of plasticmaterial.

Accordingly, modifications of the invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self propelled device for movement across angularly disposed planarsurfaces, comprising; a hollow body having bottom, front and rearportions; a shaft disposed interiorly of said body and extendingtransversely thereof adjacent said front portion; a plurality ofgripping members arranged in a closed cyclic path of movement around theaxis of rotation of said shaft and being disposed at a radial distancetherefrom with said gripping members being adapted to support said bodywith respect to a planar surface; means for rotating said shaft and saidgripping members in unison relatively to said body; said front portionof said body having an opening in its frontal edge; said grippingmembers moving through said frontal opening and projecting bothforwardly of and beneath said body during rotation of said shaft,whereby the same may simultaneously engage angularly inclined surfacesthat are disposed forwardly of and beneath said frontal edge, with saidbody advancing across said surfaces during said simultaneous engagement;the rotation of said gripping means etfectuating temporary adherencebetween such surfaces and any one of said gripping means, whereby saidbody may be progressively advanced across said surfaces.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that saidgripping members are suction cups.

3. A self propelled device for movement across angularly disposed planarsurfaces, comprising; a hollow body having a bottom and front and rearportions; a shaft disposed interiorly of said body and extendingtransversely thereof adjacent said front portion; a plurality ofgripping members arranged in a circular course around the axis ofrotation of said shaft and being disposed at a radial distance therefromwith said gripping members being adapted to support said body withrespect to a planar surface; said gripping members progressivelyengaging said surfaces during rotation of said shaft, whereby said bodymay be progressively advanced across said surfaces; compressibletensioning means interconnecting said body and said shaft and exertingrotational force on said shaft during compression thereof; a stringwound around said shaft and having an end portion thereof accessiblefrom the exterior of said body; said string rotating said shaft andcompressing said tensioning means upon unwinding from said shaft duringwithdrawal thereof from said body; said string being drawn towardsrewound condition on said shaft in increments of movement thatprogressively occur in response to increments of progressive advance ofsaid body.

4. The device of claim 3 further characterized by the fact that saidshaft includes a tubular housing that concentrically encircles saidshaft and receives said string in wound condition thereon.

5. The device of claim 4 further characterized by the presence of guidemeans for guiding said string onto said housing during rewindingthereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,779,349 Whatley Oct. 21, 1930 1,828,288 Marx Oct. 20, 1931 1,871,297Berger Aug. 9, 1932 2,618,889 Wigal Nov. 25, 1952

